12GENERAL PLAN OF HOUSING COMMITTEE

Letter of Information No. 5Regarding Emergency Cases“To all Sections:—“A number of cases have been forwarded with emergency cards, which should not have had them. The Committee assumes that few emergencies can possibly arise after a lapse of 3 months, which require immediate settlement.“An excellent illustration of a ‘mistaken’ emergency:—A carpenter, idle since the fire discovered eight days ago that he must have tools to go to a job the following date.“The emergency card was taken off by direction of the Superintendent because the natural query arose why had he not been working long before at something. As he had not, he could very well wait until his case was reached in regular order. Carpenters are at a premium.“Emergency cases delay appreciably the progress of other cases and should be reduced in number.”

Letter of Information No. 5Regarding Emergency Cases

“To all Sections:—

“A number of cases have been forwarded with emergency cards, which should not have had them. The Committee assumes that few emergencies can possibly arise after a lapse of 3 months, which require immediate settlement.

“An excellent illustration of a ‘mistaken’ emergency:—A carpenter, idle since the fire discovered eight days ago that he must have tools to go to a job the following date.

“The emergency card was taken off by direction of the Superintendent because the natural query arose why had he not been working long before at something. As he had not, he could very well wait until his case was reached in regular order. Carpenters are at a premium.

“Emergency cases delay appreciably the progress of other cases and should be reduced in number.”

The letter notes an important point; namely, the delays and inconveniences that are caused by cases having to be considered out of turn.On July 23, 1906, the Rehabilitation Committee voted that ordinarily no cases should be considered emergent unless sickness or death were involved. It goes without question, however, that such a rule could not be strictly lived up to. Unusual situations arose which had to be attended to. From time to time cases were sent back when the Committee refused to handle them as emergent. It is probably true that this particular question cannot be adequately dealt with by rules. The necessity is for responsible committees to maintain the closest sort of supervision and to refuse to consider out of turn cases which obviously do not demand immediate attention.With the establishment of Sub-committee No. 1, which had a revolving fund, the work was placed on a much better basis. With any letting down of the bars, the number of requests brought up, not only by paid workers, but by committee members, constantly increases. In the early days, the Rehabilitation Office was overrun at times by persons who were asking for special attention for families they knew. The need of taking up some cases out of turn is granted; the emphasis should be laid upon its regulation. It should be borne in mind that there is a high principle involved; that is, the rendering of strict justice to those families which have no friends at court, and which have not pressed their own claims.

The letter notes an important point; namely, the delays and inconveniences that are caused by cases having to be considered out of turn.

On July 23, 1906, the Rehabilitation Committee voted that ordinarily no cases should be considered emergent unless sickness or death were involved. It goes without question, however, that such a rule could not be strictly lived up to. Unusual situations arose which had to be attended to. From time to time cases were sent back when the Committee refused to handle them as emergent. It is probably true that this particular question cannot be adequately dealt with by rules. The necessity is for responsible committees to maintain the closest sort of supervision and to refuse to consider out of turn cases which obviously do not demand immediate attention.

With the establishment of Sub-committee No. 1, which had a revolving fund, the work was placed on a much better basis. With any letting down of the bars, the number of requests brought up, not only by paid workers, but by committee members, constantly increases. In the early days, the Rehabilitation Office was overrun at times by persons who were asking for special attention for families they knew. The need of taking up some cases out of turn is granted; the emphasis should be laid upon its regulation. It should be borne in mind that there is a high principle involved; that is, the rendering of strict justice to those families which have no friends at court, and which have not pressed their own claims.

VI.A Lesson Learned Regarding Records.In the review of the rehabilitation work, it is quite apparent that the theory that a case can be dealt with completely at one time is impractical. No set of rules could or should effect the result of a family’s being considered once only and then as a case be marked “finally closed.” A rehabilitation committee should recognize that a large number of cases may be re-opened, and plan its record system so that there will be no confusion in interpreting the re-openings.

The second Red Cross card[290]and supplementary blank cards for extended investigations, were the only general record cards in use. To the Red Cross card a “paster”[291]was attached by its gummed end, each time that a case was re-opened. The number of pasters on some record cards was from five to 10. The charity organization experience is that nothing can take the place of thechronological record. Owing to the use of the pasters without the carrying on of the chronological record the system failed.

[290]Appendix II,p. 428.[291]Appendix II,p. 433.

[290]Appendix II,p. 428.

[291]Appendix II,p. 433.

Though the supplementary cards used in connection with the Red Cross cards made a chronological record of the facts possible, there was no uniformity in the keeping of the records. In connection with records of rehabilitation work, the important points are to learn the exact date of each application, the date upon which it was passed or refused by the committee, and the size of the grant, if any. These important points should be grouped somewhere for quick reference. In addition, a summary should state the kind of rehabilitation asked for in each application. The suggested form of summary to be filled in at the time that each application is passed upon would be as follows:

The sub-committees under the centralized system failed to maintain a uniform standard. The most orderly records were those of Committee VI, the business committee, and Committee I, the emergency committee. The housing committee used numerous blanks, but in order to trace a housing case it is necessary to wade through the entire correspondence, because the applications were frequently filed within the correspondence. In the examination of cases from the other committees for this Relief Survey, it was wellnigh impossible for the tabulators to learn in what manner, and at what time, and for what reason, the re-openings occurred. The only fact that was evident was that there had been reopenings, because there were successive pasters indicating refusals or grants. In some instances the reason for re-opening, instead of being placed in its proper order upon the chronological sheets was written on top of the paster itself in the space allowed for “Recommendation.” Sometimes by an exhaustive study of all the documents on file, it was possible to guess approximately the date of re-opening and why there was a re-application. If the various chairmen of sub-committees had been working in daily contact, as they were in the second and third periods, a better standard would have been maintained.

Two things have been absolutely demonstrated; first, that the records should approximate in form those used by charity organization societies. First, dates should be given for everything said or done, these dates should be arranged chronologically on sheets or cards in sequence, and the fact of the receipt of letters or documents, or of the sending of letters or documents, should be entered in their proper chronological order. Second, there should be a place upon the face of the card or immediately attached to it for the summary of applications and decisions.

VII.Loose Ends. The Rehabilitation Committee made endeavors to gather together the loose ends that resulted from the fact that small relief funds were distributed of which no record was given to the Rehabilitation Committee. Among such funds may be mentioned those in the hands of the Town and Country Club; the Doctors Daughters’, the Physicians’, as well as the Portland (Oregon) fund and the various church funds. In spite of there being special funds, for instance for relief of doctors, the committee was constantly receiving applications from physicians. It is hoped that the givers of similar funds in the future may be gradually educated to the point of insisting upon system and concentration of authority in their distribution; otherwise there is bound to be waste.

VIII.Bookkeeping and Registration Notes. The statement is axiomatic that the most effective workers should be at the places of greatest congestion. When a large relief problem is to be met these will usually be the bookkeeping and registration departments. It should be re-emphasized that in these two departments the very best help should be searched for. In the registration work the Rehabilitation Committee was fortunate in securing a number of library clerks for indexing. The system of filing correspondence was not uniform. Some of the secretaries, however, as the case records were in folders consecutively numbered, adopted the satisfactory plan of keeping an index of the persons written to, together with the number of the cases written about. In order to make possible a rapid separation of replies to letters there should be a centralization of correspondence. Under the section system this was not necessary, owing to the fact that letters were sent out with the addresses of the section offices, towhich replies naturally went. Possibly the only centralization necessary would have been to keep a complete index of the names of persons written to, which would have required the various secretaries to send to some one person a duplicate card, giving the name of the correspondent and the case number.

The Rehabilitation Committee’s experience proves that the authority to give the numbers for the case records should be in one place, so that confusion through the duplicating of numbers may be avoided. The rigid standards of the best charity organization societies are none too rigid, when one realizes that while such a society may deal within a year with from 2000 to 6000 families, a committee such as the Rehabilitation Committee might have to deal with over 25,000. Another most important consideration is the need of impressing workers with an appreciation of the value of records and of the call for absolute accuracy. It should be realized that care with records does not mean red tape or loss of time, but added efficiency. It means not only less worry for the workers themselves, but quicker meeting of the needs of individual families. Every minute spent in hunting for a lost record or endeavoring to supply an omitted entry, means a minute more of delay to a number of other families. These minutes grow astonishingly large in number, so that by and by they may be computed in days. Not only were there such delays at times, but it became occasionally necessary to reprove workers who had on their own responsibility made changes in the records. In some cases, for instance, the names of members of particular families were changed, without the knowledge of anyone except the worker involved. As a worker close to the Relief Survey has well said, “There is constant need of impressing the sacredness of a record upon those who use it.”

The following plan for handling applications for cottages to be built by contractors was followed in the main by Committee V:1. Original requests were to be received by mail only and references were to be consulted by mail; but in reality many persons came to the office to file their applications.2. When this work was finished and the case indexed the application was placed before the Housing Committee for:a.Such further investigation as it deemed necessary.b.Action by Committee.3. When the Committee decided to make a grant, directions showing the kind of house to be built, the amount to be paid to the contractor, and the amount of the instalments to be paid by the applicant, were written on a slip and attached to the application.4. The applicant was then notified of the action of the Committee and was told that he must execute the proper contracts with the bank selected by the Committee, as follows:a.If the applicant were the owner of the land, a note and mortgage binding him to repay the agreed instalments were drawn up and deposited with the bank, orb.If the applicant were a lessee or had a contract to purchase the land, a conditional contract of purchase providing that the title to the cottage was to remain with the bank till paid for, together with a consent and waiver from the owner of the land, so that the owner of the land would not get a title to the house until all of the payments were completed.c.The applicant was required to produce a receipt showing that he had paid to the Board of Public Works the necessary deposit for opening the street and making proper sewer connections.5. When the above papers had been executed and presented to the bank the Committee was notified at once.6. Orders were then given to the contractor to proceed with the building of the house.7. Arrangements were made with the auditing department for drawing and forwarding the checks to be paid when so ordered and signed by a representative of the Committee.8. The contractor was required to send notice by mail to the Housing Committee when each building was completed.9. Thereupon an inspector was sent to examine the house and report back to the Committee in writing within 24 hours.10. When a satisfactory report was received from the Committee’s inspector the contractor was paid and the house turned over to the applicant.The above outline of the method of procedure followed by the Committee, while perhaps not adhered to strictly in every case, was, in general, the usual plan adopted and served to expedite matters to a considerable degree.In order to clarify the matter of the kind of houses the Committee would erect, they provided drawings for four or five different styles of buildings. These plans, with the price of each attached, were displayed by the Committee to all applicants, who selected the one desired in accordance with the price they were able to pay. However, the buildings actually erected were changed in minor features by the applicant or contractor with the consent of the Committee. The Committee engaged various contractors in no way connected with those retained by the Land and Building Department for the erection of camp cottages.

The following plan for handling applications for cottages to be built by contractors was followed in the main by Committee V:

1. Original requests were to be received by mail only and references were to be consulted by mail; but in reality many persons came to the office to file their applications.

2. When this work was finished and the case indexed the application was placed before the Housing Committee for:

a.Such further investigation as it deemed necessary.

b.Action by Committee.

3. When the Committee decided to make a grant, directions showing the kind of house to be built, the amount to be paid to the contractor, and the amount of the instalments to be paid by the applicant, were written on a slip and attached to the application.

4. The applicant was then notified of the action of the Committee and was told that he must execute the proper contracts with the bank selected by the Committee, as follows:

a.If the applicant were the owner of the land, a note and mortgage binding him to repay the agreed instalments were drawn up and deposited with the bank, or

b.If the applicant were a lessee or had a contract to purchase the land, a conditional contract of purchase providing that the title to the cottage was to remain with the bank till paid for, together with a consent and waiver from the owner of the land, so that the owner of the land would not get a title to the house until all of the payments were completed.

c.The applicant was required to produce a receipt showing that he had paid to the Board of Public Works the necessary deposit for opening the street and making proper sewer connections.

5. When the above papers had been executed and presented to the bank the Committee was notified at once.

6. Orders were then given to the contractor to proceed with the building of the house.

7. Arrangements were made with the auditing department for drawing and forwarding the checks to be paid when so ordered and signed by a representative of the Committee.

8. The contractor was required to send notice by mail to the Housing Committee when each building was completed.

9. Thereupon an inspector was sent to examine the house and report back to the Committee in writing within 24 hours.

10. When a satisfactory report was received from the Committee’s inspector the contractor was paid and the house turned over to the applicant.

The above outline of the method of procedure followed by the Committee, while perhaps not adhered to strictly in every case, was, in general, the usual plan adopted and served to expedite matters to a considerable degree.

In order to clarify the matter of the kind of houses the Committee would erect, they provided drawings for four or five different styles of buildings. These plans, with the price of each attached, were displayed by the Committee to all applicants, who selected the one desired in accordance with the price they were able to pay. However, the buildings actually erected were changed in minor features by the applicant or contractor with the consent of the Committee. The Committee engaged various contractors in no way connected with those retained by the Land and Building Department for the erection of camp cottages.

[292]Compiled from a statement supplied by the Associated Charities, December 31, 1912.

A. RECEIPTS OF SAN FRANCISCO ASSOCIATED CHARITIES FROM ALL SOURCES, BY MONTHS FROM JUNE, 1907, TO SEPTEMBER, 1912, INCLUSIVE

[293]For seven months only.[294]For nine months only.

[293]For seven months only.

[294]For nine months only.

B. DISBURSEMENTS OF SAN FRANCISCO ASSOCIATED CHARITIES FOR RELIEF AND FOR ADMINISTRATION, BY MONTHS, FROM JUNE, 1907, TO SEPTEMBER, 1912, INCLUSIVE[295]

[295]Compiled from a statement supplied by the Associated Charities, December 31, 1912.[296]Includes nursing service and child care.[297]For seven months only.[298]For nine months only.

[295]Compiled from a statement supplied by the Associated Charities, December 31, 1912.

[296]Includes nursing service and child care.

[297]For seven months only.

[298]For nine months only.

C. TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS AND AVERAGE MONTHLY DISBURSEMENTS OF SAN FRANCISCO ASSOCIATED CHARITIES FOR RELIEF AND ADMINISTRATION, BY YEARS. 1907 TO 1912[299]

[299]Compiled from a statement supplied by the Associated Charities, December 31, 1912.[300]For seven months only.[301]For five months only.

[299]Compiled from a statement supplied by the Associated Charities, December 31, 1912.

[300]For seven months only.

[301]For five months only.

Appendix IIFORMS AND CIRCULARS

NATIONAL RED CROSSGeneral Register of Applicants for Relief, San Francisco, 1906.Food Station No........Surname and given names of head of family.Total number of persons for whom rations are asked:Food Card No.Date of this registration.Men..........Children..........Women..........Aged, etc...........Present location.Former home or address on April 17th.Trade or occupation of head of family.Age.Nationality.Union.Former employer.References, or other memoranda relating to employment:Membership in: (1) fraternal orders; (2) churches; (3) clubs:Address of friends to be communicated with:Present employment:Is it steady?Is applicant owner of real estate? If so, where?Plans for future:Relief supplied (other than rations, including transportation):Remarks:

NATIONAL RED CROSS

General Register of Applicants for Relief, San Francisco, 1906.

Food Station No........

Above form asillustration

FoodCardIssued.Date.No.Data as to adult bread winners in family or party (not the applicant named on face of card).Name and sexm.f.m.f.m.f.m.f.Age and nationalityTrade or occupationUnionFormer employerReferencesPresent employmentFuture plansRemarks:—

Above form asillustration

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